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United States Patent |
5,588,711
|
Hall
|
December 31, 1996
|
Side dumping container
Abstract
A container 10 for use in the transportation of goods mounted or mountable
on a load carrying vehicle 12. The container 10 includes a floor 18 and a
pair of opposed side walls 20, 22 each of which is supported for
displacement about a pivotal axis adjacent its upper edge. The side wall
20 is hingedly connected adjacent its lower edge to the floor 18. The
container 10 includes displacement means 16 for displacing the floor 18
and the side walls 20, 22 between a rest position in which goods can be
contained within the container and a discharge position in which goods
contained within the container can be discharged therefrom. In addition,
the container 10 includes friction reducing floor support means in the
form of rollers supporting the floor 18 to facilitate displacement thereof
between its rest and discharge positions.
Inventors:
|
Hall; Daniel J. (Voorbaai, ZA)
|
Assignee:
|
John Daniel Containers (Proprietary) Limited (George, ZA)
|
Appl. No.:
|
404875 |
Filed:
|
March 16, 1995 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
| Mar 16, 1994[ZA] | 94/1833 |
| Jun 03, 1994[ZA] | 94/3913 |
Current U.S. Class: |
298/18; 298/1B; 414/470 |
Intern'l Class: |
B65D 088/54 |
Field of Search: |
414/470
298/1 B,7,18
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
1279089 | Sep., 1918 | Dolbear.
| |
1897175 | Feb., 1933 | Meyer.
| |
2284661 | Jun., 1942 | Joy.
| |
2471874 | May., 1949 | Johns.
| |
3616950 | Nov., 1971 | Coons.
| |
3837516 | Sep., 1974 | Meyer.
| |
4049137 | Sep., 1977 | Meyer.
| |
4129222 | Dec., 1978 | Richardsson.
| |
4314788 | Feb., 1982 | Williams et al. | 298/1.
|
Foreign Patent Documents |
0125115 | Nov., 1984 | EP.
| |
462789 | Apr., 1951 | IT | 414/470.
|
136627 | Oct., 1980 | JP | 298/1B.
|
1368207 | Jan., 1988 | SU | 298/1B.
|
1511550 | May., 1978 | GB.
| |
Primary Examiner: Bucci; David A.
Assistant Examiner: Morse; Gregory A.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Greenlee, Winner and Sullivan, P.C.
Claims
I claim:
1. A container for use in the transportation of goods, which container is
mountable on a load carrying vehicle and includes
a floor;
a pair of opposed side walls each of which is supported for displacement
about a pivotal axis adjacent its upper edge and one of which is hingedly
connected adjacent its lower edge to the floor;
displacement means for displacing the floor and at least said one side wall
between a rest position in which goods can be contained within the
container and a discharge position in which goods contained within the
container can be discharged therefrom; and
friction reducing floor support means supporting the floor to facilitate
displacement thereof between its rest and discharge positions, the
friction reducing floor support means including a plurality of
longitudinally spaced apart transversely extending tracks and
longitudinally spaced apart sets of rollers which run on the tracks.
2. A container as claimed in claim 1, in which each set of rollers includes
at least two transversely spaced apart rollers which run on a common
track.
3. A container as claimed in claim 1, in which each of the rollers is
rotatable about a longitudinally extending axis and has a circumferential
recess therein within which a portion of a track is receivable so as to
locate the rollers laterally relative to the track.
4. A container as claimed in claim 1, which forms an integral part of said
vehicle.
5. A container as claimed in claim 1, which is dismountably mountable on
said vehicle and includes locking formations configured to cooperate with
complementary locking formations on the vehicle to retain the container
releasably in position on the vehicle, the container including a power
source for operating the displacement means thereby rendering it operable
independently of a said vehicle.
6. A container for use in the transportation of goods, which container is
mountable on a load carrying vehicle and includes
a floor;
a pair of opposed side walls each of which is supported for displacement
about a pivotal axis adjacent its upper edge and one of which is hingedly
connected adjacent its lower edge to the floor; and
displacement means for displacing the floor and at least said one side wall
between a rest position in which goods can be contained within the
container and a discharge position in which goods contained within the
container can be discharged therefrom, the displacement means including a
drive member positioned underneath the floor and at least one elongate
flexible element drivingly connecting the drive member to the floor, the
flexible element being placed in tension when the floor is displaced from
its rest position towards its discharge position and when the floor is
returned from its discharge position towards its rest position.
7. A container as claimed in claim 6, in which the elongate flexible
element is an endless chain which is drivingly connected to the floor.
8. A container as claimed in claim 6, in which the displacement means
includes a pulley arrangement to which the drive member is drivingly
connected for displacing the elongate flexible element.
9. A container as claimed in claim 6, in which the drive member is
electrically operated.
10. A container as claimed in claim 6, in which the drive member is
operated by a pressurised fluid.
11. A container as claimed in claim 6, in which the drive member is
mechanically operated.
12. A container as claimed in claim 6, which forms an integral part of said
vehicle.
13. A container as claimed in claim 6, which is dismountably mountable on
said vehicle and includes locking formations configured to cooperate with
complementary locking formations on the vehicle to retain the container
releasably in position on the vehicle, the container including a power
source for operating the displacement means thereby rendering it operable
independently of a said vehicle.
14. A container for use in the transportation of goods which container is
mountable on a load carrying vehicle and includes a floor having four
sides with adjacent sides being generally perpendicular; and
a pair of opposed side walls and a pair of opposed end walls extending
upwardly from respective sides of the floor, the side walls being
supported for pivotal displacement about pivot axes positioned adjacent
the upper edges of the respective side walls, one of the side walls being
hingedly connected adjacent its lower edge to the floor so that the floor
and at least said one side wall are displaceable between a rest position
in which goods can be contained within the container, and a discharge
position in which goods contained within the container can be discharged
therefrom, each of the end walls includes a fixed panel and a displaceable
panel positioned longitudinally inwardly of the fixed panel and connected
to said one side wall and configured such that in the rest position it
overlaps the fixed panel to form the end wall and which is displaceable
simultaneously with the floor and said one side wall between the rest
position and the displaced position.
15. A container as claimed in claim 14, which forms an integral part of
said vehicle.
16. A container as claimed in claim 14, which is dismountably mountable on
said vehicle and includes locking formations configured to cooperate with
complementary locking formations on the vehicle to retain the container
releasably in position on the vehicle, the container including a power
source for operating the displacement means thereby rendering it operable
independently of a said vehicle.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the transportation of goods. More particularly it
relates to a container and to a load carrying vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a container for
use in the transportation of goods, which container is mounted or
mountable on a load carrying vehicle and includes
a floor;
a pair of opposed side walls each of which is supported for displacement
about a pivotal axis adjacent its upper edge and one of which is hingedly
connected adjacent its lower edge to the floor;
displacement means for displacing the floor and at least said one side wall
between a rest position in which goods can be contained within the
container and a discharge position in which goods contained within the
container can be discharged therefrom; and
friction reducing floor support means supporting the floor to facilitate
displacement thereof between its rest and discharge positions.
The floor support means may include a plurality of rollers positioned to
support the floor.
The floor support means may include a plurality of parallel spaced apart
tracks on which the rollers run, the rollers and tracks being positioned
underneath the floor.
Typically the rollers will be connected to the floor and the tracks will be
fixed to a support. The support on which the tracks are supported may form
an integral part of the container e.g. it may be a base frame. Instead,
the support may be part of the load carrying vehicle. Each roller may have
an annular recess therein within which a portion of the associated track
is receivable to locate the roller laterally relative to the track.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a container
for use in the transportation of goods, which container is mounted or
mountable on a load carrying vehicle and includes
a floor;
a pair of opposed side walls each of which is supported for displacement
about a pivotal axis adjacent its upper edge and one of which is hingedly
connected adjacent its lower edge to the floor; and
displacement means for displacing the floor and at least said one side wall
between a rest position in which goods can be contained within the
container and a discharge position in which goods contained within the
container can be discharged therefrom, the displacement means including a
drive member positioned underneath the floor and at least one elongate
flexible element drivingly connecting the drive member to the floor.
In one embodiment of the invention the elongate flexible element may be an
endless chain which is drivingly connected to the floor. The chain may
extend around a drive sprocket and a driven sprocket spaced from the drive
sprocket, the drive member being drivingly connected to the drive
sprocket.
The displacement means may include a connecting element connected to and
extending between the chain and the floor.
In another embodiment of the invention, the displacement means may include
a pulley arrangement to which the drive member is drivingly connected for
displacing the elongate flexible element, e.g. in the manner of a winch,
and hence also the floor.
In one embodiment of the invention the drive member may be electrically
operated, e.g. it may be an electric motor.
In another embodiment of the invention the drive member may be operated by
a pressurised fluid, e.g. it may be in the form of a pneumatic or
hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly.
In yet another embodiment of the invention the drive member may be
mechanically operated.
In the rest position the floor and said one side wall may be perpendicular,
and in the discharge position the angle defined between the floor and said
one side wall may be greater than 90.degree. with the being inclined
downwardly from its connection with said one side wall to facilitate
discharge of goods from the container.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, in the discharge position the
floor and said one side wall together form an inclined slide to further
facilitate discharge of goods from the container.
The floor is typically square or rectangular with four walls extending
upwardly from the floor in opposed pairs when the floor is in its rest
position, the side wall which is positioned opposite said one side wall
being displaceable simultaneously with the floor and said one wall between
a rest position in which it extends upwardly from the floor, and a
displaced position in which at least a lower edge of the side wall
opposite said one side wall is displaced away from the floor to form a
discharge opening therebetween and facilitate discharge of goods from the
container.
The opposite side wall may be linked to at least one of the floor and said
one side wall for displacement simultaneously therewith between its rest
and displaced positions. The opposite side wall may be linked to said one
side wall by means of at least one elongate strut which is pivotally
connected at its ends to the side walls.
According to yet another aspect of the invention there is provided a
container for use in the transportation of goods which container is
mounted or mountable on a load carrying vehicle and includes
a floor having four sides with adjacent sides being generally
perpendicular; and
a pair of opposed side walls and a pair of opposed end walls extending
upwardly from respective sides of the floor, the side walls being
supported for pivotal displacement about pivot axes positioned adjacent
the upper edges of the respective side walls, one of the side walls being
hingedly connected adjacent its lower edge to the floor so that the floor
and at least said one side wall are displaceable between a rest position
in which goods can be contained within the container, and a discharge
position in which goods contained within the container can be discharged
therefrom, at least part of at least one of the end walls adjacent said
one side wall being displaceable simultaneously with the floor and said
one side wall between the rest position and the displaced position.
At least part of each of the end walls adjacent said one side wall may be
displaceable simultaneously with the floor and said one side wall.
Each of the end walls may include a fixed portion and a displaceable
portion, the fixed portion being fixed to a support, e.g. the chassis of
the vehicle or a base of the container, and the displaceable portion being
connected to one of the floor and said one side wall for displacement
simultaneously therewith, the portions of the end walls being configured
such that in the rest position they overlap to form closed walls for the
container.
The moveable parts of the end walls adjacent said one side wall may be
connected to said one side wall.
The side wall positioned opposite said one side wall may be displaceable
simultaneously with the floor and said one side wall between a rest
position in which it extends upwardly from the floor, and a displaced
position in which at least a lower edge of the side wall is displaced away
from the floor to form a discharge opening therebetween and facilitate
discharge of goods from within the container.
The side wall which is opposite said one side wall may be pivotally
displaceable about a pivot axis positioned adjacent its upper edge. The
opposite and said one side wall for displacement between its rest and
displaced positions simultaneously therewith.
The container may form an integral part of said vehicle.
Instead, the container may be dismountably mountable on said vehicle and
include locking formations configured to cooperate with the complementary
locking formations on the vehicle to retain the container releasably in
position on the vehicle. The locking formations will typically be the
conventional locking formations presently used on bulk transportation
containers thereby permitting a container in accordance with the invention
to be used together with existing bulk container handling equipment.
The container may be self-contained. Hence, the container may include a
power source for operating the displacement means.
According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a load
carrying vehicle which includes
a chassis; and
a container as described above mounted on the chassis.
The vehicle may be in the form of a motor vehicle or a trailer for a motor
vehicle. Instead, the vehicle may be in the form of a railway wagon.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to
the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.
In the drawings,
FIG. 1 shows a three-dimensional view of a load carrying vehicle in
accordance with the invention with its load carrying container in a
discharge position;
FIG. 2 shows a rear view of the load carrying container;
FIG. 3 shows an end view of the floor and a side wall of the load carrying
container forming part of the load carrying vehicle of FIG. 1, in a rest
position with certain details being omitted for the sake of clarity;
FIG. 4 shows a sectional elevation taken at IV--IV in FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 shows a three-dimensional view of a container for transporting goods
in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 6 shows a plan view of the container of FIG. 5 with the floor and
walls omitted;
FIG. 7 shows a plan view similar to FIG. 6 of another container in
accordance with the invention;
FIG. 8 shows a side view of yet another container for transporting goods in
accordance with the invention;
FIG. 9 shows a plan view of the container of FIG. 8 with part of the roof
and part of the floor omitted;
FIG. 10 shows an end view of the container of FIGS. 8 and 9 with an end
wall omitted;
FIG. 11 shows, on an enlarged scale, part of the displacement means for
displacing the components of the container between their rest and
discharge positions;
FIG. 12 shows a plan view of the part of the displacement means shown in
FIG. 11;
FIG. 13 shows a sectional elevation taken at XIII--XIII in FIG. 11; and
FIG. 14 shows, on an enlarged scale, a sectional elevation of a
roller-track arrangement forming part of the container of FIG. 8.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In FIGS. 1 to 4 of the drawings, reference numeral 10 refers generally to a
load carrying vehicle in accordance with the invention. The vehicle 10
comprises a wheeled chassis, generally indicated by reference numeral 12
and a load-carrying container, generally indicated by reference numeral 14
mounted on the chassis 12. The vehicle 10 further includes displacement
means, generally indicated by reference numeral 16, for displacing parts
of the container 14 between a rest position (shown in FIG. 3) and a
discharge position (shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) as described in more detail
herebelow.
The container 14 includes a base frame which is mounted on the chassis 12
and which comprises transversely spaced apart parallel longitudinally
extending side members 15, 17 (FIG. 3). The side member 15 is in the form
of a box section and the side member 17 is in the form of a channel
member. A plurality of transversely extending guide rails, generally
indicated by reference numeral 19 (FIGS. 3 and 4), are connected to and
extend transversely between the side members 13, 15. A plurality of
longitudinally spaced apart vertically extending support posts 21 are
connected to and extend vertically upwardly from the side member 17. A
longitudinally extending connecting member 23 is connected to the upper
ends of the support posts 21. Each of the guide rails 19 comprises a
length of box section 25 and a rod 27 attached to an upper surface of the
box section 25. The lengths of box section 25 are secured, e.g. by
welding, to the side members 15, 17, and hence form part of the base
frame.
The container 14 comprises a rectangular floor 18, a pair of side walls 20,
22 which, in the load-carrying or rest position of the container extend
vertically upwardly from opposed sides of the floor 18, and a pair of end
walls, namely, a front wall 24 and a rear wall 26.
The side walls 20 and 22 are mounted for pivotal displacement about pivotal
axes which extend adjacent with and parallel to their upper edges. The
floor 18 is pivotally connected at its one edge to the lower end of the
side wall 20.
The floor 18 is of composite construction and comprises a rectangular floor
panel 31 to which a plurality of transversely extending channels 28 is
mounted at longitudinally spaced apart positions. A pair of waisted
rollers 30 is mounted on each channel 28 the rollers 30 in each pair being
at longitudinally spaced apart positions such that, with the floor in its
rest or horizontal position the rollers 30 rest on the rods 27.
The side wall 20 is also of composite construction comprising a wall panel
33 to which a plurality of channel elements 35 is connected such that the
channel elements 35 are parallel and longitudinally spaced apart. The
channel elements 35 are pivotally connected via pivot pins 37 at their
upper ends to the connecting member 23. The lower ends of the channel
elements 35 are connected via pivot pins 39 to the one ends of the
channels 28 so that the floor 18 is pivotally connected to the side wall
20.
The front wall 24 includes a fixed portion 241 which is secured to the base
frame or the chassis 12 and extends upwardly therefrom, and a displaceable
portion 242 which is connected to the side wall 20. Similarly, the rear
wall 26 comprises a fixed portion 261 which is fixed to the base frame or
the chassis 12 and a displaceable portion 262 which is fixed to the side
wall 20.
A pair of elongate struts 32 are connected to and extend between the floor
18 and the side wall 22, each strut being pivotally connected at its ends
respectively to the floor 18 and side wall 22. The side wall 22 is
pivotally connected towards its upper edge to the fixed portions 241 and
261 of the front wall 24 and rear wall 26, respectively.
The displacement means 16 includes a pair of winch assemblies, one of which
is generally indicated by reference numeral 34 in FIG. 1. Each winch
assembly 34 includes a winch 36 which is mounted on the chassis 12 and a
pulley 38 which is mounted on the chassis 12 at a position spaced
transversely from the winch 36. An elongate flexible element 40, e.g. in
the form of a cable or a length of webbing, extends around the winch 36
and the pulley 38, with the ends of the flexible element 40 being
connected to the floor 18 at spaced apart positions.
In use, in its load-carrying condition, the floor 18, side walls 20, 22,
front wall 24 and rear wall 26 together define a generally box shaped
load-carrying compartment within which a load can be transported.
When the vehicle 10 reaches its destination and it is desired to discharge
the load from within the load-carrying container 14, the winch 36 is
activated which causes the floor 18 to be displaced transversely in the
direction of arrow 41. This in turn causes the side wall 20 to pivot about
its associated pivotal axis resulting in the angle defined between the
floor 18 and side wall 20 increasing. Simultaneously, by virtue of the
struts 32, the lower edge of the side wall 22 is also displaced upwardly
and outwardly so that the space between its lower edge and the floor 18
increases progressively. The displaceable portions 242, 262 of the front
and rear walls 24, 26, respectively are also displaced simultaneously with
the side wall 20.
When the displaceable components of the container 14 are in their fully
displaced or discharge position (shown in FIG. 1 and in broken lines in
FIG. 2) the side wall 22 is spaced from the floor 18 to define a discharge
opening and the floor 18 and side wall 20 together form an inclined ramp
which serves to discharge the contents of the container therefrom and the
lower edge of the floor 18 protrudes transversely from the chassis 12.
When the contents of the load-carrying container 14 have been discharged,
the winch 36 is operated in the reverse direction, so as to return the
floor 18, side walls 20, 22 and displaceable portions 24.2, 26.2 of the
front and rear walls 24, 26 to their rest or load-carrying positions.
The Applicant believes that a load-carrying vehicle 10 in accordance with
the invention will be particularly suitable for use in carrying wood
chips, sugar cane or bagasse. The Applicant further believes that the
vehicle will be suitable for transporting minerals such as coal and the
like. However, it is to be appreciated that the vehicle 10 with, or
without modification may be used for carrying other goods.
In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the chassis is in the form of a
truck chassis. However, it is to be appreciated that the chassis could be
the chassis of any other type of load carrying vehicle, e.g. a trailer, a
railway truck or the like.
The Applicant believes that an advantage of a load-carrying vehicle 10 in
accordance with the invention is that by virtue of the fact that in its
displaced or discharge position, the lower edge of the floor 18 protrudes
a substantial distance beyond the side of the chassis 12 and hence the
wheels of the chassis, goods such as wood chips are discharged well clear
of the chassis and not between the wheels of the vehicle 10. In addition,
the Applicant believes that by making use of the winch 36 to displace the
floor 18, side walls 20, 22 and displaceable portions 242, 262 of the
front and rear walls 24, 26 a relatively cost effective and reliable
arrangement is obtained. The winch 36 will typically be powered from the
vehicles electrical system. A further advantage in that the provision of
the rollers 30 and tracks or rods 27 serves both to support and guide the
floor 18 and reduce the force required to displace the floor 18 from its
rest to its displaced position thereby maximizing the load that can be
transported. Still another advantage of a load-carrying vehicle 10 in
accordance with the invention is that, as a result of the displacement of
the displaceable portions 242 and 262 of the front and rear walls 24, 26,
respectively, the risk that wood chips or other similar types of material
being transported, could become wedged between the floor 18 and the front
and rear walls 24, 26 and/or the side wall 20 and the front and rear walls
24, 26 is reduced. This results in enhanced reliability and less down
time.
It is to be appreciated, that the load carrying container 14 could be
formed as an independent unit which is dismountably mountable on a
complementary chassis of a load carrying vehicle. The container 14 would
then typically include locking means for cooperation with complementary
locking means on the chassis whereby the container is releasably lockable
in position on the chassis of the vehicle.
Reference is now made to FIGS. 5 to 7 of the drawings, in which reference
numeral 50 refers generally, to a container in accordance with the
invention. Unless otherwise indicated, the same reference numerals used
above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4 of the drawings, are to designate
similar components.
The container 50 includes a frame 52. The frame 52 comprises a rectangular
base frame 54 and four upright members 56 connected to and protruding
upwardly from the corners of the base frame 54 and a rectangular upper
frame 58 which is connected to the upper ends of the upright members 56.
The side wall 20 is connected to the upper frame 58 by means of pivot pins
37 in the manner described above. Similarly, the side wall 22 is pivotally
connected to the upper frame 58.
As can be seen in FIG. 6 of the drawings, the displacement means 16
includes a drive member in the form of an electric motor 60 mounted on the
base frame 54 and drivingly connected to a shaft 62. Three primary pulleys
64 and two secondary pulleys 66 are mounted on the shaft 61 at
longitudinally spaced apart positions. An elongate flexible element 68,
e.g. in the form of a length of webbing, is wound around each of the
primary pulleys 64 with a free end of the flexible element 68 being
connected to the floor (not shown in FIG. 6 of the drawings) of the
container 50 at a position adjacent the pivotal connection of the floor 18
to the side wall 20.
An elongate flexible element 70, e.g. in the form of a length of webbing,
is wound around each of the secondary pulleys 66 with the flexible element
70 protruding from the secondary pulley 66 across the base frame 54,
around a return pulley 72, mounted on the opposite side of the base frame
54 to the secondary pulley 66, with its free end being connected to the
floor 18 at a position spaced from its pivotal connection to the side wall
20.
In use, the container 50 is mounted on a load carrying vehicle, e.g. on the
load bed of a truck. The container 50 may have dimensions which correspond
to the standard dimensions of bulk transportation containers and have
complementary mounting and/or locking formations 74 (FIG. 5) whereby the
container 50 is releasably lockable on the load bed of a container
carrying vehicle.
In use, a load contained within the container 50 is discharged therefrom in
the identical manner to that described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to
4 of the drawings. Hence, by energising the electric motor 60 and rotating
the shaft 62 in one direction, the flexible elements 68 can be wound onto
the primary pulleys 64 thereby displacing the floor 18 side walls and
movable portions of the front and rear walls towards their displaced
position. Rotating the shaft 62 in this direction causes the flexible
elements 70 to unwind from the secondary pulleys 66. When it is desired to
return the components of the container 50 to their closed or load carrying
condition, the electric motor 60 is energised and the shaft 62 is rotated
in the opposite direction so that the flexible elements 70 are wound onto
the secondary pulleys 66 and the flexible elements 68 are unwound from the
primary pulleys 64.
As illustrated in FIG. 7 of the drawings, in which reference numeral 80
refers generally to another container in accordance with the invention,
instead of making use of the electric motor 60, use could be made of one
or more pressurised fluid operated piston and cylinder assemblies 76 each
of which is drivingly connected to the floor 18 via a flexible element,
e.g. a length of webbing 77 extending around a pulley 79 to displace the
floor 18 and other movable components of the container 50 between their
closed or load carrying position and their open or discharge position.
Reference is now made to FIGS. 8 to 13 of the drawings, in which reference
numeral 100 refers generally to part of yet another container in
accordance with the invention and, unless otherwise indicated, the same
reference numerals used above are used to designate similar components.
For the sake of brevity and clarity of description, only those features of
the container 100 which differ from the containers described above will be
described in detail.
The container 100 includes a root or cover 102 which is displaceable
between a closed position (shown in the drawings) in which it covers the
contents of the container, and an open position (not shown) in which it
permits loading of the container.
In addition, instead of being connected to the floor 18, the one end of the
strut 32 is connected to the side wall 20 with the other end of the strut
being connected to the side wall 22. However, the strut 32 functions in
exactly the same manner to displace the side wall 22 between its rest and
displaced positions.
As can best be seen in FIG. 14 of the drawings, the track or guide rail 19
includes an inverted T-section 104 to which the rod 27 is connected. As
mentioned above, the guide rail 19 could be mounted on the chassis of a
vehicle or it could form an integral part of the container.
The displacement means 16 of the container 100 comprises an electric motor
60 drivingly connected to a shaft 62 which comprises a plurality of
segments 621.
The displacement means 16 further includes a plurality of guides, generally
indicated by reference numeral 110. As can best be seen in FIGS. 11 and 12
of the drawings, each guide 110 comprises a pair of parallel spaced apart
inwardly facing channel members 112. An end cap 114 (FIG. 11) is
connected, e.g. by welding, to the one end of the channels 112. A
plurality of longitudinally spaced apart connecting members 116 is
connected, e.g. by welding, to the operatively lower sides of the channel
members 112 to retain them in the desired positions. A slide 118 is
slidably mounted on and between the uppermost flanges of the channel
members 112 such that it protrudes upwardly therefrom. A push rod 120
(FIG. 10) is pivotally connected at its ends to and extends between the
slide 118 and the floor 18.
A drive sprocket 121 is mounted on a shaft 122 between the channel members
112. The electric motor 60 is drivingly connected to the shaft 122. An
idler sprocket 123 is mounted on a shaft 124 such that it too is between
the channel members 112. An endless chain 126 extends around the drive
sprocket 121 and the idler sprocket 123 with the uppermost chain run being
positioned between the channel members 112 and the lower chain run being
positioned below the channel members 112. A guide sprocket (not shown) is
mounted on a shaft 128 immediately below the drive sprocket 121 so as to
guide the chain 126. An adjusting sprocket 130 is mounted on a shaft 132
and is positioned between the channel members 112 to engage the chain 126
and permit the tension thereof to be adjusted. The slide 118 is drivingly
connected to the upper run of the chain 126 and hence, the slide 118 and
push rod 120 together drivingly connect the chain 126 to the floor 18.
In use, when it is desired to discharge goods contained within the
container, the electric motor 60 is energised to drive the sprockets 121
and hence displace the upper runs of the chains and the slides 118 in the
direction of arrow 140 thereby displacing the floor 18 and side walls 20,
22 as well as the movable portion of the front and rear walls to their
displaced positions thereby to discharge the contents of the container
therefrom. When it is desired to return the floor 18, side walls 20, 22
and movable portions 242 and 262 of the front wall 24 and rear wall 26 to
their rest positions, the electric motor 60 is driven in the reverse
direction which causes the slides 118 to be displaced in a direction
opposite to the direction of arrow 140 thereby returning the various
components of the container to their rest position.
The Applicant believes that the displacement means of the container 100
will be robust and compact which, together with the fact that the floor 18
is supported via the rollers 30 and the guide rails 19 will permit
relatively heavy loads to be contained within the container and discharged
therefrom in the manner described.
It is to be appreciated, however, that any other arrangement for displacing
the movable components of the container between their load carrying and
discharged conditions could be used.
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